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The national selection committee, following discussion with head coach Mickey Arthur, today invited 23 probables for the fitness test, which will be held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on 15 and 16 April.

The selection committee also confirmed the squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 will be announced on 18 April in Lahore. Time of the media conference will be confirmed in due course, while there will be no media engagements or activities from 15 April until the official squad announcement.

The Pakistan cricket team will depart for England on 23 April where they will play England in a series of practice and international matches, before entering the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against the Windies on 31 May at Trent Bridge.

The other key issue I find with this list of probables is that the one guy who can bowl genuine pace is probably not going to make the side (Mohammad Hasnain). Why is PCB wasting its time on guys like Mohammad Abbas when they could well create serious competition for the likes of Junaid Khan and Shinwari by adding Harris Rauf and Wahab Riaz in the equation.

I love coming to this thread and seeing all the posters annoyed about Umar’s exclusion.

Like his brother we have had to deal with years of mediocrity from him, and watch more deserving cricketers rot on the sidelines.

I hope this is the final nail in his career.

The guy scored a 136* and a 99 in the space of a few days with a strike rate of 120+. He also had a successful PSL campaign just about a month ago. He's here to stay. What did Shoaib Malik do in these last few months that makes his automatically better than Umar Akmal?

Basically, they had this list in pocket long back, brought it to public at the last moment so that there is few days for reaction. However, they normally allow 30 players for initial squad, therefore I think after PAK Cup, few names will be added.

The guy scored a 136* and a 99 in the space of a few days with a strike rate of 120+. He also had a successful PSL campaign just about a month ago. He's here to stay. What did Shoaib Malik do in these last few months that makes his automatically better than Umar Akmal?

The definition of madness of doing something again and again and expecting a different result.

Umar has been given considerable chances at the international level. Despite his positive start and obvious talent - his performance level has not been satisfactory, his fitness is awful and he has disciplinary issues. For these reasons he has been dropped. At the domestic level, his poor technique, fitness issues and bad discipline has less of n effect and he is able to get runs. As such, he gets selected despite no visible improvement in fitness or technique or game awareness.

This leads to failure at the international level. So he is dropped. He goes back and scores runs at domestic level and uneducated impulsive fans along with the media ask for his inclusion and so he’s given another chance. He fails again...goes back to domestic and scores run...and......

You get the idea. He has had enough chances. I believe his career is done because his attitude stinks and he will never improve.

As for Malik, he is the least deserving member of the likely squad that will travel to England. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Not good, when will we get rid of this incompetent selector, can't wait.

Very harsh on UA ( looks like a persona grudge ) and even harsher in Wahab. What the purpose of this Pakistan cup , no performance won;t count.
Similarly, what Nawaz , Abbas and Yasir Shah are supposed to do with WC ?

I would have even taken Raza Hassan over Yasir Shah let alone deserving spinners like Zafar and Umer Khan. Atleast Raza Hassan had a reputation of being a decent limited overs spinner unlike Yasir and still has much superior record in Lista A than Yasir. Even in List A Yasir averages 33+.

Not good, when will we get rid of this incompetent selector, can't wait.

Very harsh on UA ( looks like a persona grudge ) and even harsher in Wahab. What the purpose of this Pakistan cup , no performance won;t count.
Similarly, what Nawaz , Abbas and Yasir Shah are supposed to do with WC ?

Performance in PSL counts now a days. Its an easy way to get into the PAK team. No need to grind it out in domestics, this is what INZY is saying.

It is only a list of probables they could have named wahab, shehzad and UA.
The 15 member squad picks by itself. Only thing that they can think of taking shan or another extra pacer. To me i will take another extra pacer.

Seems clear, Amir will be going thats why they have announced the call up for tests right now rather than in the middle of the cup where players and bowlers threatning Amirs spot would perform and put pressure on selectors. They did this during the PSL aswell announced the Australian series squad right away rather than waiting for the entire tournament to finish.

Inzamam is a very clever and corrupt selector, he does this every time. When there was pressure on dropping Imam and squad selection for South Africa he did not even bother addressing media rather sent a video out. Than when asked about Imams selection on tour he said if he doesn't perform he can be dropped, why give him so mahny failures ina row 10+ in a row and others only 1-2 games.

It is only a list of probables they could have named wahab, shehzad and UA.
The 15 member squad picks by itself. Only thing that they can think of taking shan or another extra pacer. To me i will take another extra pacer.

We're not England or Aus of the 90s. Our team changes a lot. Anyone could have made it.

I hope Yasir Shah, Muhammad Abbas don't make the cut. Muhammad Hasnain is not ready for ODI yet but man all these matches will really give him such a good learning experience maybe take him as a wild card.

Inzi is nothing but a complete hypocrite and liar. First he wanted to bring new players in World Cup XI but same old failure are called for fitness test. Looks like he didn't learn anything from 5-0. Most likely we will not even win 2 matches in World Cup. Inzi deserve to be sacked.

Inzi is nothing but a complete hypocrite and liar. First he wanted to bring new players in World Cup XI but same old failure are called for fitness test. Looks like he didn't learn anything from 5-0. Most likely we will not even win 2 matches in World Cup. Inzi deserve to be sacked.

Sad part is his sacking after we loose the world cup will mean 4 yrs wasted. The board should intervene and push Wahab and other performers into the England series squad and then submit the world cup squad in May.

Rather take malik than akmal, malik will at least win a couple of games on his own.

Akmal on the other hand will lose pak games that they have in there pocket as he has done on numerous occasions.

Malik's cricket is finished. Also Hafeez will be a big time liability. Only time will prove but people who follow Pak cricket closely can see zero contribution from the likes of Hafeez, Malik and Yasir in the world cup. Some Pak fans are living in lala land where they think Pak will be able to restrict opposition for any score less than 300. When 300 is on this batting line up will definitely crash as their base is built around 250s totals.

This is a crazed post....Imam is one of the best young batsmen going, Ali is a terrific striker hwo deserves a continued run in the team a,d Rizwan just hit two centuries against Australia. Can you explain why they are worse than Akmal?

Malik's cricket is finished. Also Hafeez will be a big time liability. Only time will prove but people who follow Pak cricket closely can see zero contribution from the likes of Hafeez, Malik and Yasir in the world cup. Some Pak fans are living in lala land where they think Pak will be able to restrict opposition for any score less than 300. When 300 is on this batting line up will definitely crash as their base is built around 250s totals.

Should be able to restrict under 300 if u go with Shaheen, Hassan, Wahab, Shadab, Faheem

But on the contrary could easily get smashed with Imad, Yasir, Amir, bowling

This is a crazed post....Imam is one of the best young batsmen going, Ali is a terrific striker hwo deserves a continued run in the team a,d Rizwan just hit two centuries against Australia. Can you explain why they are worse than Akmal?

What is your definition of meaningful performance? Scoring a nice 50-100 yet losing every game?? Since when did those 100s or the runs IUH made ever benefit Pakistan??

Wow look at the amount of matches Pakistan will play in England before world cup. They are getting the best preperation than any other team and by the time world cup starts...they will be aclamatized with the weather as well.

On the other hand we walk straight into world cup after playing 6 weeks of tamasha cricket

It will be great to see Shan Masood and Imam anchoring Pakistan's opening reminding us of test cricket in the world cup. Shan Masood might even bless us with ducking low balls and getting bowled.

Then we will have Malik in the middle not knowing what he is doing in the team, making an amazing 20/30 and getting out ensuring that the lower order faces the responsibility of saving the match.

At this point, the great Asif Ali will show up, who will miss couple of balls and then will hit one six and mishit the next to midwicket for a catch. Its like poetry in motion, its just that its too repetitive with Asif Ali.

Then at the bowling end we will have two ODI greats, Abbas and Amir starting our bowling line up bowling military medium with the aim to save as many runs as possible. They will be further supported by the great Yasir Shah, who is such an ODI gem, that no one except Inzamam and the acting coach knows about considering he keeps on getting selected.

Seems clear, Amir will be going thats why they have announced the call up for tests right now rather than in the middle of the cup where players and bowlers threatning Amirs spot would perform and put pressure on selectors. They did this during the PSL aswell announced the Australian series squad right away rather than waiting for the entire tournament to finish.

Inzamam is a very clever and corrupt selector, he does this every time. When there was pressure on dropping Imam and squad selection for South Africa he did not even bother addressing media rather sent a video out. Than when asked about Imams selection on tour he said if he doesn't perform he can be dropped, why give him so mahny failures ina row 10+ in a row and others only 1-2 games.

Imam, Amir and Faheem were also "dropped" in the latter matches of Australia series after they started getting exposed. Good catch.

Pretty much 90% of the probables were entirely predictable. The only surprising inclusions are Abid and Yasir. Abid has won the race from Shehzad who should count himself unlucky for missing out, but you also have to give credit to Abid for grabbing his opportunity against Australia.

Yasir is a political selection. Those visits to Bani Gala have paid off. It is a shame for the several spinners in Pakistan who are much better than this ODI tried and tested failure.

This list also tells us that Wahab's Limited Overs career is over. The emergence of Shaheen and Hasnain in the last two years has closed the door on him.

The most interesting exclusion is Umar Akmal. The way I see it, he is the 24th probable here, and would be the first pick if someone like Hafeez fails the fitness test or if another middle-order batsman gets injured.

The Australian series was a shootout between him and Rizwan for a place in the 23 probables as backup middle-order batsman and WK. Umar blew his chances while Rizwan took full advantage to the extent where he is now presenting a headache to the management.

They will have to find a way to accommodate him, Malik, Hafeez and Haris in the playing XI for the first ODI against England.

All in all, this squad is not remotely good enough to win the World Cup. Even a place in the semifinals would be nothing short of an achievement.

He's better than more than half of announced players and only one who has scored heavily recently. And ability to hit bowlers.

Stop.

I was actually a big fan of Umar until a couple of years ago, and then neutral until recently. However seeing everyone jump on the band wagon is infuriating. I am just sick of this mentality where Pakistan players are selected on reputation but have never actually won us games. They perform in domestic but consistently flop international and show no drive or hunger to improve.

My least favourite person right now is Malik, but everyone agress he shouldnt get selected but probably will, so I dont need to debate about it.

Umar is a genuinely terrible player who is getting so much support and no one is willing to provide any rationale for it.

Wow look at the amount of matches Pakistan will play in England before world cup. They are getting the best preperation than any other team and by the time world cup starts...they will be aclamatized with the weather as well.

On the other hand we walk straight into world cup after playing 6 weeks of tamasha cricket

Don’t understand why it is 6 week long even the WC is not that LONG. BCCI ONLY CARE About Money. They need to show some mercy on players.

Umar Akmal and Asif Ali both should be in the WC Squad. Clearly the only big sixes hitters we have in the pool. Imam and Fakhar should the only openers we should take. Use Umar as a opener in the Warm Up games to see how he goes. I think he is equipped to deal with seam bowling than Fakhar. Pity if Umar dont go he looked decent to me, 5 more games at international level he can find his timing and sense back.

In pressure free games with no crowds, pretty much useless ODIs Umar Akmal wasn't able to do anything substantial... And when he did he got a chance or two and despite those chances he never used them to his advantage.

How is someone like that supposed to help us win games?

Did we not learn anything from the 2015 World Cup? Especially the 2015 QF versus Australia? Where he was looking at ease and just gave away his wicket?